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Alfa 9 went down a storm last Saturday at This Feeling at what was their first gig in 4 years. They made a few friends along the way! The band have 2 dates lined up in their hometown Stoke, and will be back in London in 2 weeks time to support Cornershop live dates here … More photos from the gig on Flickr and Facebook …

Yesterday afternoon Alfa 9 dropped into BBC 6Music for a chat with Steve Lamacq about their new album ‘ Gone To Ground ‘ – out March 11th.

Alfa 9 ‘s second album ‘ Gone To Ground ‘ gets its official release on March 11th and the band will be signing the first 100 copies , but they’ll only by available from the official Blow Up / Alfa 9 shop –  click here to pre-order to guarantee yours! Plus you can buy their other releases, including other limited goodies. There are even a few copies of their first album ‘ Then We Begin ‘ on vinyl signed by the first line-up.

Here’s what we’ve been up to at Blow Up in 2012… Blow Up Records releases included the critically acclaimed Baltic Fleet album ‘ Towers ’, ‘ Lost In Sound ’ from Fay Hallam & The Bongolian (their very first collaboration), meanwhile the year also saw the return of the mighty Alfa 9  who have been picking up some great early press for their second album ‘ Gone To Ground ‘ which is out in March 2013. All three appearing in end of year polls for 2012 . Sweden’s Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck returned with the single ‘ Leaving For A Day ’ and a last minute Christmas track ‘This Year’ and there were  two new signings to the label for David Woodock and Daiquiri Fantomas , so stay tuned in 2013 for releases from these! The Blow Up club headed back to the USA twice this year, with shows in LA, San Francisco and Sacramento. And in October Blow Up took part in the annual Oxjam series of shows in Leicester. Plus our London residency in West London carried on from 2011 with live guests including Sulk, The Fractures, Thee Faction, Fay Hallam, David Woodcock, B-Movie…. Read more below…. BALTIC FLEET ‘TOWERS’… “Immense. Fleming has upped the ante on an already stellar debut,” Rough Trade Shops ‘Album of the week’ & ‘Albums of the MONTH’ “Exceptional motorik beats” NME “A sublimely cinematic blend of kosmische musik and dream pop ” 9/10 Subba-Cultcha “Something very special indeed” Crack Magazine “One of the finest records from Liverpool in years” Liverpool echo “A wonderfully well rounded and complete album ” Louder Than War ‘Album Of The Week’ & an Album Of The Year AN ALBUM OF THE YEAR: LOUDER THAN WAR, VIVE LE ROCK, CRACK MAGAZINE, LIVERPOOL ECHO, RESIDENT RECORDS & MORE… More about Baltic Fleet here… FAY HALLAM & THE BONGOLIAN ‘LOST IN SOUND’ … “A match made in heaven. It’s timeless and that’s the secret …addictive stuff” ★★★★ Blues & Soul “An immediate pleasure, and wonderfully seductive” Shindig! AN ALBUM OF THE YEAR: VIVE LE ROCK & ‘DANCING’ Podrophenia Single Of The Year More about Fay Hallam & The Bongolian here… ALFA 9 ‘GONE TO GROUND’… “The Stoke songsmiths are back, and it’s been well worth the wait” CLASSIC ROCK “A beautiful record” SHINDIG! EARLY ALBUMS OF THE YEAR: VIVE LE ROCK, PODROPHENIA, ACTIVE LISTENER, POP JUNKIE… Read more about Alfa 9 here. ..

Advance tickets have now sold out for tonight. For those who wish only to attend the late night club session without seeing the bands there will be a VERY limited amount of reduced price tickets at £5 on the door from 11pm. This will only allow entry after the bands have finished playing, and again is strictly first come first served. Stereo Total will return to Blow Up on February 8th 2013 for a one-off London show at The Macbeth . The 5th time our favourite electro-duo have played at the club who are flying in from Germany especially. Plus Blow Up DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson spinning their trademark mix of Pop Stylism, 60’s Soul, Beat, Garage, Funk, Ska, Soundtracks, Electronica, Library Music colliding with British Pop, Glam, Indie-Pop and New-Wave. More info: blowupclub.com • Facebook Event • Map Advance Tickets: SOLD OUT Stargreen.com • We Got Tickets • Gigantic • SeeTickets • Ticketweb Connect: Facebook • Twitter

This Year a brand new track from Sweden’s  Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck – a melancholy upbeat indie-pop Christmas song announced by the band to celebrate the 1 st Sunday of Swedish advent. Read more: Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck / Facebook / Twitter

Finally! A brand new single from Swedish indie-pop 8-piece Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck . ‘ Leaving For A Day ‘ will be taken from a new edition of their debut album ‘ Days Come and Go ‘ which will shortly be rereleased in an expanded form to include additional tracks.  The video is a compilation of footage filmed during the bands last visit to the UK, including a Rough Trade East in-store, an appearance at Dot-To-Dot Festival Bristol, a support slot with Camera Obscura at King’s College, a show at the Blow Up Metro Club on Oxford Street and an acoustic session at the V&A. Read more: Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck / Facebook / Twitter Buy single on iTunes

In association with Record Club / Club Underground / Shake Appeal, Blow Up returns to California this October, with two 19th Birthday dates in Los Angeles at Club Underground and then San Francisco at The Monarch . On Friday 26th October we’re back with our friends at the excellent Club Underground at The Grand Star Jazz Club – LA’s best indie night! Plus get your costume ready, as this week they’ll be celebrating Halloween. Great Music, Candy, Costumes, Groovy Ghoulies, Spooky Photobooth, Horror Film Screening, Prizes & Halloween themed drinks! And then on Monday 29th October we’re back again in San Francisco at the lovely Monarch. Blow Up founder/DJ Paul Tunkin + rotating DJs Galine Tumasova (Shake Appeal) + Major Sean (Tailor Made, Club Leisure) + Liam Caton (Shake Appeal) and a special live performance by excellent The Bang girl group! Plus as its our 19th anniversary party there’ll be some Blow Up vinyl give aways at both events, so get down early! Facebook links: Blow Up / Blow Up USA / RecordClubSacto / Club Underground / The Monarch Twitter: Blow Up / Underground / Monarch BLOWUPCLUB.COM

Blow Up Records is excited to be part of Oxjam this year, with 3 artists Baltic Fleet ,  The Bongolian & David Woodcock all appearing live as part of the Leicester Music Takeover on October 20th: David Woodcock  12.50-1.20pm Outdoor Stage The Bongolian 7.30-8.30pm  Outdoor Stage (headline) Baltic Fleet   10.30-11.15pm The Exchange Bar (headline) £8 Early Bird Tickets / £10 After more details at oxjamleicester.co.uk and oxfam.org.uk/oxjam Read more about…. DAVID WOODCOCK THE BONGOLIAN BALTIC FLEET

‘The Zodiac’ by David Lindup featured on Blow Up presents Exclusive Blend Volume 1 and originally from the KPM music library spotted in new UK Fiat 500 ad ‘Colour Therapy’. Read more about the Exclusive Blend Series here . Volume 1 is avialble on CD, LP and digital here .